8'
MATERIALIST COLUMN
Mrs. L. C. Mucdunuld la President
of Rulionallat Association and a Mat-
erulist. The following are stdoclions
from her 'citer and the Rational lbt»'
P atforin.
"The work«:a in Nationul national
ist Association are the most cntl.u«i-
• stic workers eve.' brought together
or a great cause. Th«»y preach and
practice the doctrine that happiness
and goodness arc co-reialives. You
get a clean, clear bruin and freedom
from misery. They negutc the super
natural ami every superstition, accept
nil scientific Tads, affirm that each in
dividual is saved by compliance with
natural laws, sins cannot bo forgiven,
bu«i actions huve bud results, ami good
actions huve go«si results, etc.”
"Our efforts ar«» directed to estab
lishing Lectureships in this country
(i. c. Mrs. Macdonald, the President,
und Churl«»» T. Sprading, the Sec
retary). The different speakers who
occupy thel^ctureshiips, use the meth
ods of propaganda best suited to their
people and their city, We have eatah-
liahed Lectureship«« thia year in San
*
Francisco, Oakland, Portland r.nd Se
attle. St. Paul, Munir. «| hi I i ., and Mil
waukee want our help, hut we cunnot
go there this winter. The plan of
«luestiona being usked after cv< ry lec
ture (but no question box) is curried
out ut every point with excellent re
sults. We agree with you that no
uiore important work than establish-
Kig Sunday Schools could l»e inaugu
rated, but this would be u work for
each lecturer to work up. Mr. Spad
ing says, permitting persons in the
audience to select subjects makes
trouble and induces failure."
THE QUESTION CLUB
I
Lecturers who invite question» ex-
pect them to relate to their lecture,
and are prepared to answer them. If
preachers, priests or religious papers
invite questions, they must relate to
religion or the answers are mudo to
bring in religioUB touchings. In cither
cuso the poacher or lecturer docs all
the unswering. But preachers find that
questions stir up thinking, und that
upsets their teachings; so they oppose
questions, discussions, debutes, unless
strictly religious. But the people wdl
huve lectures, will read newspapers
and will have the sciences, the facts,
taught in the public schools und col
leges. All these evolve intelligence.
Freethinkers want to evolve intelli-
•ence and teach facta, so they are not
fruid of questions und invite them.
Murshall Gauvin has quuliiieti himself
to answer uli sorts of questions mar
velously well. But not more than one
in ten thousand could do that success
fully.
I have tried for years to get Free
thinkers to start Sunday Schools to
promote intelligence, morality, health,
goo<l citizenship, etc. They will not
attempt it so I have got to give that
up. None feel qualified or inclined,
yet to write the kind of lesson needed
to take the place of religious tachings,
and lx* more instructive and beneficial.
So religious meetings "hold the fort”
Sundays and keep the masses misled,
bigote«! slaves to superstitions, pray
ers und church expenses. Our hand
ful of Materialists don't evolve any
method yet to fr««c only a f«w. They
believe in evolution of intcllignce, mo
rality, etc., but the term “8unduy
School” sounds religious and they
pshaw ut the idea. We have got to
dertakc something or never accom-
sh anything, and sink into oblivion,
failure.
I believe one bright Materialist in
any placecould start a Sunday Question
Club, and make it promote intelli
gence. it will not require lecturers,
printed lessons, nor money to carry it
on. Just propose it to several of the
most intelligent people in your place,
especially those most callable of an
swering questions. Don’t propose it
as a Materialist or Freethought affair
—but you will have a chance to intro
duce some materialist question or rea.
son every Sunday as your shar<* in the
club work. — Tell them the object is
to evolve more intelligence, knowledge,
wisdom, justice, health, morulity, good
citizenship and anything else that will
benefit the people anything they need.
Open the meetings with whatever mu
sic and singing is obtainable. Pass the
testion box for all who will, to put
one question on any subject. The
chairman reads them all to the audi
ence, and passes each to the member
he thinks best informed in that line to
answer. If any one offers to give a
better or different answer, give him
a chance (unlss he misuses it); but
no answer should be allowetl over five
minutes, unless the Club or audience
vote to extend his time.
I suggest, if you can secure a doc
tor, hygiienist, teacher, lawyer, sher
iff, judge, chemist, scientist, historian,
editor or a specialist in any industry
or reform, ns the most capable mother,
nurse, W. C. T. U. Prohibitionist, So
cialist, farmer, etc., to answer the
questions in their line; or if each ca
pable member studies up to he fitted
to answer questions in a special line,
Ju>ur Question Club can he a great
^^lp to everybody. The materialist,
the preacher and the humorist, should
also have their chance, of course.
Would not everybody want to be
there? And would not everybody be
aroused to think and learn somehting
there? Will you start a Sunday
Question Club ?
If there was u God, all-wise, all-
powerful, Just and merciful, and all
intelligence wua Gixl-given, instead of
evolve«!, ami all prayers were an
swered, everybody would pray for in
telligence and receive enough, so
everybody would always do right,
never have uny diseases, nor uny kind
of suffering, never be unjust and al
ways lie huppy.
Every crim«», vice, folly, error, every
diseuse, misery, injustice, cruelty, cal
amity, every wrong act, is u pr«x>f that
t. < r<- Is no God. Intelligence _y> de
eloped and decuys like all our other
abilities; and us intelligence is the only
soul we huve, thut too ends at death:
hence human beings 'ike animal« havj
no future life. The Bible Is just Ac
tion, for there Is no God, nor rewards
ami punis' meats after death, l^t’s
sturt Sunday Question Cubs every
where, to evolve intelligence that will
make everybody’s life worth living. •
Eliza Mowry Bliven, Brooklyn, Con.
REPLY TO GUY FITCH PHELPS
Augusta, Michigan, Doc. 30, 1914.
(Continued)
1 have shown thut the creative prix:,
ess is constantly at warfare with it
self and that it carus no more about
dissociating the molecules of a man
Ilian it doe« ubout the separating the
molecules of augur or starch by heat.
Oftentimus it partly creates and then
the support of some part of itself Is
lucking and ail is lost. In order to be
undcrstixxl readily and no mistakes,
I asr.ert what science offers to the
world of thought today. This is, that
all life- of all things living on this
earth is due entirely ou the action of
the sun on the green leaves of grass,
trees, etc. The carbon dioxide is forc«*d
into the leaf by the aclioa of the sun
on the chlorophyl or colloid in the leaf
ajui the oxygen is thrown off. In this
manner the energy of the sun is stored
up in the seeds of plants in carbon
groups, and men and animals live and
thrive thereon. Thus we live, and the
sun’s energy prtxluces all life, l^et us
return anti take up nature's fight
against itself. Plant a field of good
land with com. Have the seed good.
Everything as to moisture and heat
are all correct and the corn is Ane on
July first. Now at this time, this god
in nature sends no ruin for six weeks
or more, what happens to this field
of corn ? There hus been enough car
bon |>ushe«l into the leaves by the
sun, but the plant cannot make the
sugars and starches because they re
quire water (O. H. 2) in large quan
tities and th«* oxygen taken in through
the leaf is impotent us it carries little
or no hydrogen. If the dry weather
continues, there is complete failure
in this attempt of the creutlve process.
Why if th«» “god in nature” of Lyman
Abbott is ut the hea<l of nature! Why
do two atoms hydrogen unite with one
atom of oxygen and form water only
nt such a temperature? Water is a
creature of temperature and without
the sun, no god can make water out
of O. H.2. How ubout bread making?
Can the house wife make light bread
with g<M»«l yeast in a temperature un
der 70? Why cannot the gods prevail
here? Because the yeast germ cannot
do business without the sun — tem
perature. Here is the point. This
earth can have all its simple elements
without the sun perhaps, but it cer
tainly could never have a molecule or
life. Where are the gods? Have they
retreated to Mount Olympus?
There is a small gland at the base
of the brain in men which controls the,
osseous growth of the individual.
When hyperthrophy of this gland oc-
occurs in middle life, one lag or a fin
ger, an arm or a jaw becomes elonvat.
ed to such an extent that he becomes
a curiosity. One or more of these
conditions may appear at the same
time. Now I ask, Mr. Fitch, just be
cause he and his fellow protagonists
claim to know more about the creator
than common humanity, why his cre
ator sets such a man whom he had
finished, growing again, and this new
growth a not very pleasant one ? Why
did his creator have to make another
trial if he is all-powerful ? Only a
few people on this earth die a natural
«hath. Men coming in contact with
cholera, tetanus and small pox germs
die by accident as much as if they
had run up against a live wire only
more hidden. For this condition we
must Rive thanks and pray to this
being. Fitch says: created all things
and all-powerful. Why? Because he
and his co-workers postulate a God
without cause and ask all men to ac
cept the cause as Belf evident and not
the effect 1 1
One English writer says: “I believe
in killing tigers and tetanus germs on
sight.” What a hidden sarcasm is
evident here. Men, more merciful and
humane than Mr. Fitch’s Creator, are
busy throughout the world seeking
anatoxins to correct the cruel condi
tions which a special creation presents
here on earth. Who could worship
such a cruel, wicked monster as the
Creator appears, from facts, to be.
This question has terrorized the
church ever since the days of Origen
1
---------
-------
----- !-’
SOCIALISTCOLUMN
| ed by the war. It is perfectly prac-
j ticable because it utilizes existing
machinery wherever possible and re
quires no new instruments that can
WAR AND HIGH COST OF LIVING not lie put into operation within a
few weeks or months, at the most. It
Capitalism han plung«xl tha world provides for the mobilization of the
into war. ttocialiats fought the tiling» industrial ( roton of the nation against
thut inade war inevitable, tiocialiata the assaults of the armies of hunger,
protested againat the coming of war want, monopoly and unemployment.
AND OUR
until overwhelmed by the force» And, best of all, it paves the way for
aguinat them.
a society in which there would be no
Now thut the war ha» come, cap poverty, no idle workers and no un-
italism offers no progrum for meeting ne-.oi sary misery.
the crisis, no r«dmf for the people, no
hope, no future, but tragedy and dis
FOR A FREE PRESS
tress. 1 tie political parties and so- A RAH.ROAD WITHOUT WATER
called statesmen of capitalism have
nothing to offer but their usual fo >i-
West Michigan farmers are build
iah •uggestions of "regulation” and ing a railroad on the co-operative
"trust-busting" and temporizing pal plan and without Wall Street money.
We have been browbeaten, maligned, assault
liatives that solve no problems and The line will run from Saginaw to
ed, boycotted, denied our rights in Court, im
bring the people no lasting relief.
Muskegon, where it will connect with
prisoned and robbed of the privilege of editing
if the conditions which the Europe a steam ship line to Milwauk«*». The
an war has created here in America road will cost a Mil'ion dollars and
our paper while in jail, all for trying to make the
are to be met in anv adequate way it there will I e no watered stock.
world better by publishing the truth. This only
miut be by a practicul und adequate
makes us stronger in the fight! But, as we have
program, i’atchwork proposals will
A posse of deputies with blo«xi
been
robbed through boycott, of the wherewith
do no good. The Socialist party, hounds is looking for criminals in an
al!
to
continue our work, we are forced to change
therefore, urges the following pro- Alabama swamp. Wouldn’t they stand
p. MM1» u* (,fle plan to meet the crisis a better chance of finding some in
our plans, and this advertisement is to let the
und bring r-al relief to the people.
Wall Street?
lovers of liberty, justice and truth know that they
First Step: Buy up the raw mat
are
hereby given the privilege to help in our Cam
erial. The proposal to lend money to
Socialists piled up their big vote
paign.
Are you in favor of our continuing in this
toe farmers and prcxlucera on their by having watchers at the p Ils, says
work? Here are our objects:
cotton, wheat and meat is not enough, a headline in the Oklahoma City
it mi"ht result only in enabling them Times, an old party paper. This is an
In order to make the world better for our hav
to hold their goods while the capital open confession that the political par
ing
lived, and with malice toward none and charity
ists forced up the price. Let the gov ty supported by the Times is a gang
for
all,
we wish to make public:
ernment buy the cotton, wheat, meat of vote thieves.
und other raw materials at a price
1. The doings of individuals who are posing
covering what it actually costs to pro.
as
good
citizens, but who are continually commit
duce them.
LOVEST THOU CARE ?
ting
crime
secretly.
Second St-p:
Manufacture the
go«xls. Having the raw materials in
2. The grafting schemes and self protecting
By J. A. Wayland.
hand, the government should start up
sycophancy of our public officials.
its own mills, factories and packing
3. The hypocritical and absurd pretentions and
When you tlu.n. v. shu..l..ia ufi
house», to make the cotton into cloth,
confidence games of all humbug religious fakers.
the wheat into bread, the animals in this mortal coil, and we must all shuf.
to meat and all other raw materials fie sometime, what is the most serious
4. The effort to destroy our public schools,
into forms that would satisfy human th- ught that comes to you ? Is it not
our
other American institutions of civil and rel
wants. These goods to be sold to the what effects for good or evil it will
igious
liberties, free thought, free speech and free
have
on
your
family
?
And
really
is
p«mple at cost or slightly above cost.
press, by the foreign power known as the Roman
This vvou'd accomplish a triple pur not that care principally whether they
pose — it would relieve the prcxlucers will not lose what you have gathered to
Hierarchy, and its treasonable efforts to destroy
by maintaining the market for their provde them against want, that they
the
American government and prevent our prog
goods; it would relieve the laboring will be swindled out of it by the
ress
in perfecting “a more perfect union.”
class by keeping them at work; and it lawyers, schemers, or by their own
5. The cause of poverty and crime and the
would relieve the consumer by keep quarrels over its distribution ? If you
have little ones, helpless innocents,
ing down Lie cos. of living.
remedy by the destruction of political trickery and
Even the most hardly - pressed na do you not shudder when you think
false hero worship and how to establish universal
tions in the war zone are now ap of leaving them to the wolfish mercies
knowledge of the true principles of government
propriating large sums of money for of the world?
on the basis of equality of opportunity and the
Under Socialism no such thoughts
th j relief of the unemployed. Certain,
inalienable right of every citizen to an equal
ly the United States, in time of peace, would bother you. You would know
should do no le»s The factories that that all children are wards of the na- |
chance to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
Lave been shut down by the trusts tion, that all would be as tenderly
piness.
just because the foreign market has cared for, clothed, instructed and en- 1
6. The awful effects of the use of stimulants
suddenly «ir appeared should be im tertained, as if you were living. No
and narcotics on the human race and the best
mediately taken over by tiie govern one could profit by misusing them.
ment and put into operation so that They would receive this treatment if
methods of emancipation from their destructive
you live or if you die. When grown
th* unemployed would be supplied.
slavery.
Trusts have already been pronounc up they would enter some department
7. The principles of the universal (genuine
ed crimin.-J conspirators. According to of public industry, receive as much
Catholic) religion of righteousness, and a true,
capitalistic law, thev arc already out compensation for the time they de
laws that have forfeited their right to voted to the public as any other per- .
progressive and modern Protestant faith of de
exist. Certainly there is no reason son in the service anywhere. None
stroying ancient errors, which have held us in
why these trusts should not be seiz«»d would have any doubt about their
bondage; and that the salvation of our race de
by the government and operated for children’s future and every child would
pends on the solid rock of “the brotherhood of
the common good.
grow up with a love and devotion for
man.”
Instead of trying to send trust or the nation that had cared for it and
ganizers to jail because they have in opened up life for it that would never
We have faith that there are enough thinking
vented a bigger and better method of falter.
people
in the United States to save our work from
doing business, or of attempting the
We would have a nation of men and
the destroyer’s hands, and we are using this space,
foolish and useless tasks of "busting” women at all times ready to do and
these great industrial organizations, die for their country for it would be.
formerly occupied by advertising which made it
socialists would take possession of the their country and not belong to a few
possible to publish our paper, to call on all who are
trusts through the government and plutocrats. Such a guarantee for your
interested to join us in the work. Do you believe
use the mills and machinery to manu children would relieve life of nearly
in a free press? Do you believe in our objects?
facture the raw material purchased all of its burdens and cares. But per- ’
If so, help us establish
from the farmer.
haps you do not want to be aelieved
Third Step: Municipal and federal of your burdens?
markets. The next step would be to
establ.sh municipal and federal mar
kets. The product? of the public in THE SOCIALISTS’ CONTENTION
and
dustries must be distributed thr -ugh
publicly-owned markets in order to (Written for The Silverton Journal
protect the nation from the strangle
by John Prescott Guild.)
hold of the middle-men. Many cities
My comrades — ’tis to thee,
are already establishing such markets.
Do al! you can and get others to help!
Soldiers of Liberty,
They should be expanded, where nec
Send
us facts that should be published!
I
give
all
hail:
essary, into department stores as com
Fight on ye true and brave,
That we are alive and willing to work is
plete as those operated by the govern,
Make free each driven slave,
ment in Panama during the building
our opportunity. Do not wait!
Let no one fail.
of the canal.
Fourth Step: Nationalize trans
R. Richard Carr................................................................. $1.00
Though some in malice will
portation. Next comes the problem of
With prayer go forth to kill,
C. R. Zacharias ................................................................. L00
transportation and delivery of the
They’re men of sin:
H. H. Dewall ..................................................................... 2.00
goods. For without transportation
Not with Death’s arms we fight,
facilities a farm or a factory system
With reason we teach right,
is at the mercy of th« capitalist sys
In justice find our might —
tem. And a market without delivery
In time we’’l win.
service is about as «ffective in sup
When there is war and strife,
plying the wants of a population as
While want and woe is rife,
a legless man in a foot race.
No one is free:
The problem of delivery could be
Masters themselves are slaves,
easily met by the proper development
They’ll fill dishonored graves,
of the parcel post. It should be ex
Their names a list of knaves
panded locally to form a ».elivery ser
In history.
vice to the enlarged markets. But the
tttttmmmmxmttmmattmMmmnmttnttttnmtmmtttmrimmumtamttmtn::
greater problem of interurban and
When all mankind is free
interstate transportation can only be
From Mammon’s false decree.
met by the nationalizing of the rail
And all are one.
roads. "Regulation” has been tried
United then in love,
for fifty years. It is a fraud and a
Beneath the arch above,
delus’on. The nations must cwn the
for MAX BURG HOLZER’S new book of 32 pages
|
The work well done .will prove.
railroads.
A
Which we begun.
Such a program wil’ meet the pres
ent emergency, created and aggravat-
OUR OBJECTS
PLAN OF CAMPAIGN
A Fund for Defensive
Aggressive Warfare
— been a thorn in the side of many
intellectuals. The common herd be-
lieve«! that the devil was the cause —
if they ever thought. Spinoza’s pan
theism was a kick at this same con
dition, in another field, which I will
illuminate in my next paper. Germs
were unknown in Spinoza’s day — but
there are many other evils for Mr.
Fitch’s Creator to shoulder to his dis
credit.
F. B. HALL. i
Smith’s Synopsis of Saint Liguo-
ri’s Instruction” quotes the Saint as
follows: "The virtue of obedience,
when in doubt whether the thing com.
manded is against God, the subject is
bound to obey the priest, because, al
though it (the act) be against God,
nevertheless, on account of the virtue
of obedience, the subject does not sin.” i
In other words: Do the thing the
priest tells you to do, no matter what,
and it is no sin to you.
Send 10 Cents
|
How To Reduce The Cost
j
Of Living?
It’s a good one to read and pass to a neighbor.